Cryptonomicon

More about the book

In this extraordinary first volume, Neal Stephenson delves into the secret histories of nations and the personal obsessions of individuals, revealing the forces that shaped the century. In 1942, mathematical genius and U.S. Navy Captain Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse is assigned to the covert Detachment 2702, known only to a select few, including Churchill and Roosevelt. Their mission is to keep the Nazis unaware that Allied Intelligence has cracked the Enigma code, leading to a cryptographic chess match between Waterhouse and his German counterpart, with Marine Raider Bobby Shaftoe executing the operations. Fast-forward to the present, where Waterhouse's grandson, Randy, is creating a "data haven" in Southeast Asia for encrypted data free from repression. As governments and corporations threaten this endeavor, Randy teams up with Shaftoe's granddaughter, Amy, to recover a sunken Nazi submarine that could secure their dream. However, their plan uncovers a vast conspiracy tied to Detachment 2702 and an unbreakable Nazi code called Arethusa, which could lead to immense wealth and a future of personal and digital freedom—or a resurgence of totalitarianism. This breathtaking tour de force is a profound and prophetic exploration, seamlessly weaving between World War II and the digital age, hinting at a dark future. It stands as a testament to creative daring and an iconoclastic imagination.